Switch-operating device.



' No, 677,827. y Patented my 2, |9ol.

n. N. WEATHERS & w. s; s'rEvENsoN. SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

(Application filed. Aug. 18, 1900.)

(No Model.)

lllllllllllllllllllllll UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE. i

DAVID N. VEATHERS AND WILLIAM S. STEVENSON, OF MARENGO., INDIANA.

SWITCH-OPERATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,827, dated July 2, 1901.

Application filed August 18, 1900. Serial No. 27,292. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that we, DAVID N. WEATHERS and WILLIAM S. S'rnvENsoN, citizens of the United States, residing at Marengo, in the county of Crawford and State of Indiana,

, have invented a new and useful Switch-Opbranch track disposed either at the right or left side of the former.

With the above object in View the invention consists in the novel features ot' construction hereinafter fully described, particularly pointed out in the claim, and clearly illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved switch mechanism, the front portion of the car carrying means for operating the switch mechanism beingincluded. Fig. 2is a top plan view with the car omitted; and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the car-platform, showing the operating means for the switch mechanism. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the under side of theV locking-plate of the plunger. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the upper end of the plunger-casing.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A designates the main track, and B the branch or side track, each track having an interrupted inner rail.

C designates the switch-rail for the interrupted rail of the main track,and D the switchrail for the interrupted rail of the side track, said rails being connected by the cross-bars E and adapted to swing to contact with the rails of the main track for the purpose of opening or closing communication with t-he branch track. The switch-rails are normally held in position closing communication with the branch track by a coiled spring F, positioned on the outside of the continuous rail of the main track, extending through an opening in said rail, and at one end bearing against switchin its upper surface With diametrically oppositely extending grooves K. Movable vertically in this casing is a stem L, having on its lower end a crank-arm M, in which afric-v tion-roller N is mounted. Uponthe upper end of said stem is a circular plate O, having on its under side diametrically oppositely extending ribs P. This plate is provided with a handle Q, which extends upwardly within convenient reach of the motorman. A coiled spring R h'olds said stem raised, so that the friction=roller does not contact with the camrail until the stem is depressed by the foot of v the motorman. l

When it is desired to operate the switch mechanism, the handle of the stern is turned to bring the crank-arm to the right or left of the stem, according to whether it is desired to switch to a track disposed vto the right or left 'of themain track. The stern is then de pressed by the foot of the motorman and held depressed unt-il the car has passed to the side track. When said stem is depressed, the ribs on the under side of the top plate thereof rest within the grooves'of the upper end of the casing, so that the crank-arm is held from lateral movement while eecting the movement of the switch-rail.

For holding the switch set until the car has passed to the branch or'side track a transversely-extending spring locking-bar S is provided, said bar being attached at one end to one of the switch-rails and having its opposite end projecting through andmovable in an opening formed in a plate T, depending from the other switch-rail. A' coiled spring U holds said end of the bar normally upward. This projecting end of the bar is formed with a hook V, having a cam outer end wall, and

The locking-bar is provided with the standard f, upon which is formed a head e to be engaged by operating means carried by the car for the purpose of depressing the lockingbar, causing its hooked end to disengage the depending plate, and thus releasing the switch-rails, which are returned to theirncrmal positions by the spring before referredto. The locking mechanism above referred to and the mechanism carried by the car for tripping the same are claimed in the application for Letters Patent liled by David N. lleathersone of the joint inventors in the present application, said application having been -iiled August 11, 1900, Serial No. 26,625.

.v From the foregoing description it will be seen that We have -provided a very simple switch mechanism and means for operating the same, which means may be reversed, so as to engage the cam-rail of the mechanism and operate the same to open communication with a side track disposed either to the right or left of the main track.

Having thus fully described our invention, what We claim-as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a switch mechanism, the combination with a switch-rail anda cam-rail carried l thereby, of a-vertioally-movable and rotatable stem carried by the car, a crank-arm carried by the lower end of said stem and provided With a friction-roller, an operating-handle for rotating said stem, and means for locking @said stem-in position With the crank-arm extending either to the right or left thereof, substantially as described. DAVID N. WEATHERS.

XVILL. S. STEVENSON. Witnesses:

DUDLEY F.DAv1s, Jon SLOAN. 

